# Swarm — User Manual

**Swarm** is an audio effect plugin that takes care of one difficult
thing: making your tracks get out of each other's way, all by
themselves. Drop one instance of Swarm on each track, link them
together, and they form a swarm that self-regulates in real time. The
mix breathes and balances itself, without you automating EQs or
sidechains.

---

## In two sentences

Every Swarm instance watches its own track (where it sits in the
spectrum, whether it is loud or quiet, where it is in the stereo
field). All instances in the same group then talk to each other in real
time through shared memory, ask each other "where are you at?", and
each one subtly adjusts its own EQ, gain and pan so the whole stays
coherent and clear.

The result: a mix that regulates itself. Colliding frequencies move
apart. Levels come together. All of it without you touching a single
automation lane.

---

## Installation

### macOS

1. Download `Swarm-1.0.0-macOS.dmg`.
2. Open the `.dmg` and double-click the `.pkg`.
3. If macOS blocks the installation (unsigned installer):
   - Right-click (or Ctrl-click) the `.pkg`
   - Choose "Open"
   - Confirm in the dialog
4. The plugin installs into `~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/` (VST3, CLAP and
   AU).
5. Restart your DAW and rescan your plugins.

### Windows

**With the installer (recommended)**

1. Download `XeniAudio-Swarm-V1.0.0-Installer.exe`.
2. Run it and follow the steps. Windows SmartScreen may warn you that
   the publisher is unknown (the installer is unsigned): click "More
   info", then "Run anyway".
3. The installer places the plugins in the standard locations:
   - VST3 → `C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\`
   - CLAP → `C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP\Swarm\`
4. Restart your DAW and rescan your plugins.

The installer registers an entry in "Apps & features", so Swarm can be
removed from Windows Settings like any other application.

**Manual install (portable ZIP)**

1. Download `Swarm-1.0.0-Windows.zip`.
2. Extract the archive.
3. Copy the contents of the `VST3` and `CLAP` folders into the
   locations your DAW scans (typically
   `C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\` and
   `C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP\`).
4. Restart your DAW and rescan your plugins.

### Linux

1. Download `Swarm-1.0.0-Linux.tar.gz`.
2. Extract the archive.
3. Copy `Swarm.vst3` into `~/.vst3/` and `Swarm.clap` into `~/.clap/`.
4. Restart your DAW and rescan your plugins.

---

## Quick start — 3 steps

1. **Insert one instance of Swarm on each track** you want in the swarm
   (for example: guitar, vocals, bass, keys, drums).

2. **Give every instance the same Link Slot.** In each plugin window,
   set "Link Slot" to the same number (0 by default). Every instance
   sharing a slot forms one swarm. You can run several swarms in the
   same mix (slot 0 for the rhythm section, slot 1 for the vocals, and
   so on).

3. **Raise Intensity.** Set it to 100% to begin with. You will hear the
   swarm come alive: clashing frequencies move apart, levels converge,
   the stereo image opens up. If the effect is too strong, lower
   Intensity. If you want it more pronounced, push it beyond 100% (up
   to 300% for an extreme effect).

That's it. Everything else is optional.

---

## The four forces — what Swarm does

Swarm applies four rules, each adjustable independently. Think of them
as four invisible assistants, each looking after one aspect of the mix.

### Separation — spectral separation

When two tracks step on each other in the same frequency range (say, a
guitar and a keyboard fighting over 2 kHz), Separation gently pulls one
back and pushes the other forward, so they make room for each other. It
is the equivalent of a dynamic EQ, except you never have to say *where*
to cut: the swarm decides on its own, in real time, based on what the
other tracks are playing.

### Alignment — level alignment

Alignment helps tracks settle at a common level and move together. When
one track jumps in volume, the others gently follow. This is the
"groove" of the mix. Alignment is not aggressive compression: it
adjusts each track's gain very subtly so the whole holds together, like
a band of musicians listening and adapting to each other in real time.

### Cohesion — tonal cohesion

Cohesion gently pulls each track's timbre towards a shared centre of
gravity. If one track is very bright and another very dark, Cohesion
brings them closer without flattening them out — each track keeps its
identity, but the whole sounds coherent. A dead zone protects the
extremes (a big bass will not suddenly turn bright).

### Pan Spread — stereo separation

Pan Spread pushes apart tracks that are piling up in the same spot of
the stereo image. Guitar to the left, keys to the right — without you
touching a pan control. It is **mono-compatible**: no phase
colouration, no delay. If you want a track to stay dead centre (drums,
bass, kick), enable "Pin Center" on that instance and it will be
excluded from the stereo motion.

---

## The main controls

| Control | What it does | Tip |
|---------|--------------|-----|
| **Intensity** | The overall strength of the swarm. Drop to 0% to disable everything. Push to 300% for an extreme effect. | Start at 100%. This is your master swarm level. |
| **Separation** | The weight of spectral separation (anti-masking). | If two tracks are stepping on each other, raise it. |
| **Alignment** | The weight of level alignment. | Light by default (20%). Too strong and the mix loses dynamics. |
| **Cohesion** | The weight of tonal cohesion. | 50% by default. A good balance between identity and coherence. |
| **Pan Spread** | The weight of stereo separation. | 30% by default. Raise it for a wider mix. |
| **Reactivity** | How fast the swarm reacts. At 0% it is glacially slow. At 100% it reacts bar by bar. | 50% is the original setting, validated on three mixes. |

---

## Advanced controls

### Crest — the transient designer

The **Crest** knob works on the track's transients. It analyses the
difference between the peaks (attacks) and the body of the signal, then
adjusts each instance's dynamics.

- **Positive Crest (> 0)**: boosts the attacks, adds punch.
- **Negative Crest (< 0)**: densifies the signal, flattens the peaks.
- **Crest Spread**: distributes punch across the swarm. A track with a
  lot of punch nudges the others into leaving room for it.

**Important:** Crest needs at least 8 dB of dynamic range to work
properly. If your track is already heavily compressed (less than 8 dB
of crest), the knob greys out — that is expected, there is nothing left
to sculpt.

### Pin Center — lock to the centre

Enable "Pin Center" on tracks that must stay in the middle of the
stereo image: drums, bass, kick. Those tracks are excluded from Pan
Spread's motion.

### Link Slot — grouping instances

Every instance sharing the same Link Slot number forms one swarm. By
default everyone is on slot 0. Change the number to create separate
groups.

### Link Params — synchronising settings

Enable "Link Params" so that every instance in a given Link Slot shares
the same force settings (Intensity, Separation, Alignment, Cohesion,
Pan Spread and Reactivity). When you change a setting on one instance,
all the others in the same group inherit it. This is handy when you
want to steer the whole swarm from a single window, without opening
every instance.

Crest, Pin Center, Bypass and Link Slot stay **local** to each
instance, even when Link Params is on.

---

## The interface — what you see

Swarm's interface is designed to be readable at a glance, even while
you are mixing.

### The feature space (the big central area)

This is Swarm's signature. Each instance is drawn as a glowing dot in a
graph. The horizontal axis shows where the track sits in the spectrum
(left = lows, right = highs). The vertical axis shows its level (higher
= louder).

- The orange dot is **you** (the instance you have open).
- The other coloured dots are the **other instances** in the swarm.
- The dashed orange line is the swarm's **centre of gravity**.
- The trails behind the dots show their **trajectories**: you can see
  where they are heading.

During playback the dots move in real time. If you see two nearby dots
drifting apart, that is Separation at work. If a dot rises or falls to
join the others, that is Alignment. It is fascinating to watch, and it
tells you immediately what the swarm is doing.

### The force bars

In front of the feature space you will see 8 coloured horizontal lines.
Each one is a control. Click and drag vertically to adjust the value.
Double-click to reset to the default. Use the mouse wheel for fine
adjustment.

When "Link Params" is on, an orange halo surrounds the 6 shared bars
(Intensity, the 4 forces and Reactivity).

### Presets

The preset selector at the top right offers 5 ready-made settings:

- **Init** — everything at default, a neutral starting point.
- **Subtle** — the swarm works gently, almost invisibly. Ideal for a
  mix that is already good and just needs finishing.
- **Wild** — the swarm off the leash: intensity at 220%, fast reaction,
  wide spectrum. For an obvious effect.
- **Spectral Only** — only spectral separation and tonal cohesion are
  active. Alignment and Pan at zero.
- **Spatial Only** — only Pan Spread is active. For widening a mix
  without touching the spectrum.

You can save your own presets, compare them (A/B), and undo/redo your
changes (20 levels).

### The meter bar (at the bottom)

Five small horizontal meters give you a technical overview: **IN**
(input level), **OUT** (output level), **GR** (gain reduction applied
by the swarm), **Crest** (the track's dynamic range), and **LUFS**
(perceived level, BS.1770 standard, over 3 seconds).

### The help bar (right at the bottom)

Hover any control with the mouse and an explanation appears at the
bottom of the window. It tells you what that control does, in plain
language.

---

## Licensing and demo mode

Swarm runs in **demo** mode until you activate it. In demo mode the
sound is muted for 5 seconds every 60 seconds (with fades, to avoid
clicks). Everything else works normally: you can try every feature and
save your settings.

To activate Swarm:

1. Click the "DEMO" badge at the top right.
2. Enter your license key (format `XENI-XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX`, or a
   Gumroad key).
3. Click "Activate".

You can also paste your key with the "Paste" button or the keyboard
shortcut (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V).

Once activated, the DEMO badge disappears and the sound is no longer
muted.

---

## Mixing tips with Swarm

- **Start light.** Set Intensity to 50% and work your way up. Swarm is
  subtle by nature — you may not notice it working until you switch it
  off and the mix falls apart.
- **Fewer instances is sometimes better.** Swarm speaks more clearly
  with 4 to 8 instances than with 20. If the mix sounds confused,
  reduce the number of tracks in the swarm.
- **Bypass and compare.** The BYPASS button at the top right lets you
  hear the before/after instantly.
- **Pin your centre elements.** Drums, bass, kick: enable "Pin Center"
  so they stay in the middle of the stereo image.
- **Crest needs air.** If a track is already heavily compressed, leave
  Crest at 0 — the knob greys out anyway.
- **Link Params to steer the swarm from one window.** Turn it on, then
  set Intensity from any instance: all the others follow.
- **Save your settings.** Find a sound you like, save it as a preset,
  and compare it against other configurations.

---

## Supported formats

- **VST3** — Windows, Linux, macOS
- **CLAP** — Windows, Linux, macOS
- **AU** (Audio Unit) — macOS only (Logic Pro, GarageBand, etc.)

On macOS the plugin is **universal**: it runs on both Intel Macs and
Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3...).

---

## Known limitations

- **Reaper (Windows, VST3):** window resizing does not work in Reaper
  with the VST3 build. Use the CLAP version instead.
- **Stereo only.** Swarm works in stereo (2 in, 2 out). There is no
  mono or surround mode.
- **LUFS over 3 seconds.** The LUFS meter shows the average perceived
  level over a 3-second sliding window (BS.1770 short-term standard).
  It is not the integrated LUFS of the whole track.

---

## Support

Website: https://xeni-audio.com

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*Swarm v1.0.0 — Copyright 2026 Xeni Audio. All rights reserved.*
